Raven's flight
by GirlWhoLivedAndWaited
Summary: As a proper Whovian, I too dream about travelling with Doctor. Of course I understand that apart from glorious moments, there are those filled with tears and heart(s)break. Are those glorious, wonderful and remarkable moments worth all that pain? Of course they are. But will I be able to hold my own? Without crumbling? Only future will tell. Eventually 11/OC 10/OC 9/OC


Disclaimer: I do NOT (weep) own Doctor Who.

Chapter 1 – Wow… This is really happening.

One more month. Just one, and I'm finished with high school. And then off to a university. But first I have to do my finals. Just the thought fills me with dread. It's not that I'm too stupid or even unable to learn all the things needed. I would say I'm little, teeny tiny bit above average, when I want to. That's the important part. When I want to. Because seriously, I can't see the point in learning all the stuff I won't need for a real life or for further study at university. OK, so maybe I'll need Math, but then I don't need to study that subject too much. It comes quite easy for me. I want to study that at the university, you see. It's the other subjects I'm having problems with. So I'm sitting here in my room pondering about nothing to avoid studying. I have just one month left to learn all the sh*t -sorry for the language - that I don't need anyway. And it's not even whole month. It's closer to 25 days. Grrrr... Well I guess I can delay it for another hour. Just to relax myself. You know, prepare myself for endless hours of suffering. Sigh...

I take out my tablet and see if someone updated a story on fanfiction. Well, I guess not. God, I so wish Doctor would show up now and took me away. To visit different planets, species and see history in making...Just run away. No tests, no exams. I can so relate to those authors that write those stories. I am obsessed with Doctor Who. Well not really... Maybe a little, OK let's just say that healthily obsessed. Hahahaha... Does that even exist? I chuckle. There is not a single day that the thought of him doesn't cross my mind. I can honestly say I love him. Not the actors, the Doctor. I'm not IN love with him, cause you can't be in love with someone you haven't communicated with in some way or another. I lay down on my bed more comfortably, again consumed with my thoughts of Doctor. I know myself so I admit, though not out loud, that given some time with Doctor, like being able to interact with him, I would fall and fall hard for him. If only, right?

And with these thoughts, all about magical raggedy Doctor of course, I doze off. Well of course I doze off! What else would I do? Study? Yeah, right! My laziness sometimes (always) astounds me.

~~O~~

I groan and stretch. Hmmm... I open my eyes and look around. Same old, same old bedroom. Well... Not really, we moved in two years ago. But you get my point. Ha! I bet ya thought I was suddenly going to wake up somewhere else with Doctor nearby. Whine... No such luck. Don't worry, I'm not whiny type, just being theatrical when stressed. I scramble out of bed. An hour later when I'm all cleaned up (not that I'm usually not) and fed (thank you mum) - and yes, all that took me an hour but I blame that on ungodly early hours. I look at my alarm clock... 11:30...OK, but...still!

Well since I miraculously fell asleep yesterday, I braced myself and gathered my notes from school. 'Yayyy' Slovak language, here we go! (do you see those air quotes?). One of my most hated subjects (no air quotes in that sentence, seriously... .All!). But unfortunately for me, I have to pass. Be brave! ...

~~O~~

_One month (or nearer 25 days) later _

Keep walking. Don't think, just keep walking. People will think you mad. Don't think or you'll start grinning. Screw it! I'm walking down a street with full blown grin plastered on my face. I've done it! I've passed all my exams. I'm not totally proud to admit that I've been a total swot these past few weeks. But it was totally worth it. I even got a B on Slovak language, beloved mother tongue. And the feeling you get after, that sweet satisfaction. Oh yeah. And still grinning. No wonder people are looking at me like that. And I don't care.

The only think that can possibly falter that grin…who do I share this news with? So of course I start thinking about it. I already called my mum, possibly 'the longest' conversation of my life. _Hi mum.- Hello Raven. – I passed all my exams mum. – That's great. See you at dinner. _Yep, that's it. Always like this. I love my mum but... She makes you dinner, she takes care of you… she is just there. And that's part of the problem. Just there. She won't show you she cares. She does what is expected of her as a mother. Nothing more. Not since my parents separated four years ago. It's sad but I learned to live with it. It helps that she still calls me Raven, nickname she gave me when I was just a baby. Her little Raven.

So mum out of the picture… Share the news with my brother? He is god-knows-where, doing god-knows-what, probably some of his military stuff. And my father? I'd rather not go there. His girlfriend would probably think I just want money. Now that we are talking about it, new outfit wouldn't be that bad. No, no, no, no, no and no. Not going there.

So not family, some friends? None close enough to just call and be chatty. Yeah, that sums up my social life quite nicely.

Never mind that… I'll watch some Doctor Who. I go back to cheerful thoughts. Or possibly read some updated stories. Yes, yes, now you're talking. Wide smile back on my face. Don't I wish, now more than ever, for Doctor to be real. I thought I wanted to run from school stuff and all that, but that nagging feeling in my mind just won't shut up.

~~O~~

I open the door to our overly big house and run up the stairs. I go for my bedroom door and when I open the door…

Can you honestly say that you've walked in to your room and saw the spiral from Doctor Who 50th anniversary special? You know, that transparent thing that is slightly golden? Because now, I can. I stood at my threshold, staring at it with my mouth open. Eh? I mean, seriously? Now? When I have my finals behind me? Couldn't you appear before all the torturous hours of studying? Couldn't you have speared me all that? Have you got no mercy?

Ok, I might be overreacting and my first thoughts weren't exactly rational. But in my defence, there is possible doorway to the Doctor Who universe in front of me, in my bedroom. Do I walk through? Is that even a question? Yeah, it is. Cause the probability of the doorway being one-time thing, is enormous. In the show, it disappeared after the Doctor(s) went through. But what's holding me back. Maybe the thought that in the show, only Time Lord(s) went through. What would it do to a human? Hopefully nothing.

My friends are definitely not holding me back. None close enough to really miss me. And my family… that do-not-show-any-emotions-cause-it's-sign-of-weakness family? I would miss my mum, cause you know, she is my mother, but it's not as if I haven't thought about starting over somewhere else. Away from my mother's judgmental comments. Sure, that way I could always come visit or call if I missed her too much.

But that nagging feeling in my head whispered, you would regret it way more if you hadn't gone than if you had.

So that's the decision made, yeah? Because even if it doesn't work out with the Doctor, if I don't meet him, I can always go to Cardiff and ask Jack for help. He would understand and probably help me start over.

How do I know it will throw me out in the Doctor Who universe? How do I know I won't end up stuck in the Void? I can only hope and rely on things to not go totally wrong. Leap of fate, Raven, leap of fate.

With these thought rushing through my mind, I run around my room collecting my most precious possessions, temporarily avoiding the spiral. I ram everything into my favourite over-shoulder bag and somehow I manage to change my jeans, cause I'm not leaving without my favourite dark ones. I throw some cardigan over my shoulder, cause you never know how cold it's gonna be and I can always take it off. I change my flats into a pair of dark blue converse sneakers.

I look back at where the spiral thing was. Phew… it's still there. Thank God. I check if I have everything and throw my bag over my shoulder. I pick up a block note from my desk and write a few pathetic words for my mum.

_I'm sorry, mum. Love you. Good bye. _

I put that note on my bed where it'll be easily noticed. I take a deep breath, brace myself and run towards the spiral. Not that it's very far from where I was standing…anyhow…as it is few feet off the ground, I jump and glide through the spiral.

And then…nothing. Absolute nothingness. No time, no space, no up, no down. After what feels like forever – be aware that it could easily be 2 minutes, my sense of time is not tremendous, not that there is any time where I am, mind you – something changes. I start falling. Free fall down, without stopping. Never ending. My body is on fire. Not from outside, but from deep inside, on either side of my chest. Deep searing pain. I try to scream but my body doesn't respond. It hurts, I feel dizzy and I'm still falling.

~~O~~

And then I finally land. Oaf…hmm… not that hard…bit soft really. The pain is gone and I don't feel any remains of the pain. Well who am I to complain!? I open my eyes, lying face down and in completely unfamiliar room. Bedroom. Judging by all the cluster around, a male's, grown up and possibly in early 40. My assumptions are proven correct, when surprised voice calls out: "Who are you?" I twist myself on a bed while he frantically looks around and then his gaze again lands on me, splayed on -probably his- bed. He asks again: "Who are you?" And then he continues shouting: "How did you get in here? Who let you in? What do you want?" By then he starts advancing on me.

I, really properly scared, quickly scramble from the bed before he reaches me and jump slightly backwards. His face is still confused and outraged and I think quickly. Well, they say that the best defence is offence. I form my face into scared, more like terrified, look and squeal. I really hope he doesn't notice my delayed reaction. He doesn't look the type. He stops his advancing at my reaction and this gives me an opening. I still well… squeal out: "Oh my god! Who are you? Where am I? How did I get here? What did you do to me?" I pause my rapid talking so he can fully absorb what I am about to say next. "Did you drug me? Oh my god! Did you drug me and kidnap me?"

Sometime throughout my speech, realization dawned on him, he looked horrified and raised his hands slightly to show he meant no harm. I knew that. Well…possibly knew that. Of course he didn't kidnap me. But it would be difficult to explain to him that I appeared in his room through some transparent, golden, swirl-y spiral that came out of nowhere. Yeah, better chance for me to run out of there accusing him of kidnapping me.

And that I just did. I didn't wait for him to respond. I ducked around him while screaming bloody murder. And he let me. Of course he let me. No one wants to be accused of kidnapping. I ran for and out of the front door of his flat and then when I was in a hallway I slow down. No reason to tire yourself right? The guy in the flat won't chase me if he doesn't have a secret wish to go to the prison. I walk a few feet down the hallway and stop for a second.

Now… back to the swirly golden stuff… why has it dumped me here? There has to be a reason. I mean clearly that stuff doesn't usually just show up. I jumped through it and suddenly I'm in a totally different place. That spiral is connected with Doctor Who. So… can I expect to meet the Doctor? Wishful thinking? Hopefully not. I mean I did just go through enormous amount of pain.

I look around. Some kind of estate. Lots and lots of flats. It looks eerie familiar. The hallway is not enclosed. It's like a balcony. The estate is in shape of the letter C, only more angular. In the middle is children's playground. I resume my walk, trying to find a staircase or possibly an elevator. Oh my god! And then it hit me. Not really, just figuratively. I know this place from Doctor Who, specifically from sixth season. When Doctor helps that terrified child/alien and his parents. Night terrors. I'm still walking down the hallway. Give me a break… I'm in no hurry. Hopefully I manage to catch Doctor here somewhere. So… it looks like it's early in the morning. The episode started in the evening, when it was already dark. So that leaves me few hours to spare. I stop dead as I round the corner. I guess I don't have those spare hours after all.

"He's one of the Tenza remember? He'll adapt perfectly now." And there, down the hallway stood a bow tie and a tweed jacket wearing Doctor. I stood there, shocked. He has his back turned on me and he is speaking to a guy from the episode. I could feel myself going to the shock. It's one thing to always dream about meeting the Doctor, it's completely different thing now that he is standing just down the hallway. I mean… whoa… deep breaths. Don't hyperventilate and faint now! I have this weird urge to start giggling. No, no, no, please don't do that.

Doctor continued just as George stepped out of a flat, or was that the father's name? No, no, it was definitely the kid's name. "Hey! Be whatever you want him to be." He turns away from what-is-George's-father's-name, which means he is facing me. Oh…and then his gaze lands on me. He looks me up and down, and then up again and his eyes go to mine. He smirks. I mean… what? He turns around again and says: "I might pop back around puberty, mind you. Always a funny time."

After that smirk, my mind went to overdrive. He must know me. And you don't smirk like that at just anybody, especially Doctor. Alright, file that thought for later. But he knows me! He must have met me before. How? I admit that is quite unnecessary question. Time machine anybody? And judging by that smirk, I already look forward to that encounter.

I'm still trying to process the fact that all this is happening. Mind you, waking up in a stranger's bed was quite the shock to my system, but seeing the Doctor is a whole new level. Ok, so this is happening. Wow…

My thoughts are interrupted as Doctor is suddenly standing in front of me. Whoa, when did that happen? I guess I've been thinking longer than I thought. So I stand there, looking slightly up at him with face that must show shock and disbelieve. I'm still looking at him without speaking, and I don't plan to stop anytime soon.

With a mischievous smile he says: "Hey, honey." Wait… what? Ok, another thought to file for late. So I sputter: "Hi." Wow! What a glorious sentence. I scold myself. He is still smiling but now with knowing smile. "This is early for you. Very early I see."

I have no idea what he is talking about but I say: "Yeah, right. Possibly." Have I not been in shock I might have realized what he was talking about. Sadly, for my first encounter I'm not as cool and composed as I hoped I would be. My response must have given him some clue because his smile falters just a bit. "Very, very, very early then. Blimey I haven't seen you this early yet."

There must have been some loose connection in my brain and just now it suddenly fixed itself because I said: "Well, since this is the first time I've met you, I would say you are right." "Oh," his eyes went impossibly round, "then I'd better introduce myself properly." He reaches for my right hand. "Hello, I'm the Doctor," and with that he lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it. I'm stunned speechless, but when my brain starts working again I introduce myself. "Hello Doctor. My name is Ep…" I can't even finish my name before his hand is on my mouth, silencing me. What the hell? He looks surprised, but not at his actions. Slowly he lowers his hand from my mouth as if to be sure I won't continue that sentence. Then he leans closer to my face, still holding my right hand and whispers: "Never speak that name out loud. Alright, almost never. It is sacred. Only a handful of people will ever know it. Treat it as a secret. Ok?" I nod with my head. Although I'm confused, I can see on his face that he is serious. I'll ask him later what he means by that, but there is time for that.

Although I have to know one thing. I ask: "Do you know my name?" "Yes, I do," and when he sees that I opened my mouth to ask another question, he quickly continues: "But you haven't told me yet. Well from my point of view, you've already told me, but not from your point of view. It's complicated. Promise me you'll use your other name." He sends me reassuring smile. "Don't worry, all of it will soon start making sense."

I smile at him so he knows we are good: "Ok I promise. And it's not that complicated and I understand most of it. And I'm sure that after my brain starts functioning properly again, I'll piece the rest of it together." At that he smile fondly at me and says: "Yes, you always understand." I raise an eyebrow at that and he laughs. I remember that technically I haven't introduced myself properly so I do just that. "Well then Doctor, pleasure to meet you. My name is Raven." I extend my hand to shake his, "Pleasure is all mine." but again he takes my hand into his, brings it to his lips and kisses it. He gazes into my eyes with his which are filled with warmth and my knees buckle and my hand burns slightly where he kissed me. Seriously? Get a grip Raven. But what did you expect would happen when man-you-love-but-are-not-in-love-with, who is technically fictional character from your favourite TV show shows up and is flirty with you!? Well of course you swoon and melt. Which –I'm not entirely proud to admit – is happening to me.

He straightens, still smiling warmly at me. He grips my hand a bit stronger and suddenly I'm being dragged down the hallway. "Whoa, wait. Hold your horses. Where are we going?" He slows down but doesn't stop completely. Compromise I guess. I can work with that. Then he answers my question: "Well, we have to find Ponds. Come along, Raven!"

~~O~~

**TBC**

**A/N **Well hello there. This is my second attempt at writing a story. This was actually easier for me to write since I put a lot of me into Raven' character. Hopefully I'll update soon but I'm not promising anything. Just so I won't disappoint you. But go on and review and comment what you like and dislike, surely it will help me with writing.

If you get the feeling that a lot of things haven't been explained, don't worry, I'm planning to. It just wasn't the right time now. And if you have or will have any questions, don't hesitate and ask.

For those of you that read a story Jumping Through Time by AnaDona, yes I was insired. Hopefully mine will be complitely different and my heroin won't resemble hers. If it will, let me know. I do NOT want to steal anybody's work.

See ya (hopefully) soon :)


End file.
